BMJ 1994;308:1511 (4 June)

Letters

Notifications of measles

EDITOR, - David W G Brown and colleagues' finding that only 17% of sporadic cases of measles were confirmed serologically is not surprising.1 From February to July 1993 we carried out a survey to determine whether notifications of measles in Tameside Metropolitan Borough were based on reasonable clinical suspicion. We defined a notification as reasonable if the patient had had fever; a rash over the face and body lasting at least three days; and one of cough, coryza, and sore eyes.2 For notified cases we interviewed the parents and asked about symptoms and signs; vaccination history; history of measles; and whether, before becoming ill, the patient had been in contact with someone known to have measles. Vaccination history was also checked against child health computer records.

The parents in 35 of 42 cases were available for interview. None gave a history of contact with someone with measles. Only 10 patients . . . [Full text of this article]


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Relevant Article

Salivary diagnosis of measles: a study of notified cases in the United Kingdom, 1991-3
D W G Brown, M E B Ramsay, A F Richards, and E Miller
BMJ 1994 308: 1015-1017. [Abstract] [Full Text]

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